Isaac Haxton secured victory in the Super High Roller Bowl VIII, conquering a field of 20 contenders in the $300,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em competition, earning a substantial $2,760,000. He became only the third player to achieve multiple SHRB titles, previously triumphing in the same event in 2018, raking in nearly $3.7 million. These two wins in this high-stakes event constitute the most lucrative successes in his illustrious career.

“It’s an incredible feeling. The competition was exceptionally tough. Starting with half the chips certainly helped, and I continued to have a good run,” Haxton shared with PokerGO’s Natalie Bode after his victory. “I feel fantastic, and I’m thrilled to have won this tournament. It’s one of my favorites.”

Isaac Haxton’s total recorded tournament earnings now exceed $44.7 million, placing him tenth on the all-time poker money list. The 38-year-old poker pro Isaac Haxton is compiling an astonishing record in 2023. He has reached 20 final tables, amassing over $12.5 million in winnings from these finishes alone, surpassing all other players on the circuit, including the 2023 World Series of Poker main event champion, Daniel Weinman. During this remarkable run, Isaac Haxton has secured seven titles, constituting almost 44 percent of his lifetime total of 16. Among these victories was his first WSOP bracelet, earned as the champion of the $25,000 buy-in eight-max event.

His most recent triumph garnered him 360 Card Player Player of the Year points, elevating his total to 8,132. Consequently, he currently stands in third place in the 2023 POY race standings presented by Global Poker. Haxton also earned 550 PokerGO Tour points, bringing his total to 2,297, placing him just three points behind Weinman in the PGT season-long standings.

The tournament attracted a substantial field, creating a prize pool of $6,000,000 that was distributed among the top four finishers. It took two full days of intense competition at the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas to narrow down the initial 20 entries to the final six.

This led to a tense money bubble situation, with two players departing empty-handed on Day 3. However, the bubble burst swiftly, with the first two eliminations occurring within an hour of the start of play.

In the first elimination, Bryn Kenney, the all-time money leader in poker, pushed his remaining chips into the pot preflop with 3Diamond Suit from the cutoff, only to be defeated by Stephen Chidwick’s AClub SuitKHeart Suit from the big blind. Kenney initially held the lead through the flop and turn, but a king on the river ended his tournament run in sixth place.

Chris Brewer, who, like Haxton, had a spectacular year in high roller events in 2023, amassing nearly $11.2 million in POY earnings with 22 final table appearances and five titles, could not extend his incredible streak in this event. His pocket aces were cracked by Andrew Lichtenberger’s K-10 suited. Brewer three-bet from the small blind with ADiamond SuitAHeart Suit after Lichtenberger raised with KSpade Suit10Spade Suit from the button. Lichtenberger four-bet jammed, and Brewer called off his stack. The board delivered a flush for Lichtenberger, ending Brewer’s tournament.

Interestingly, Brewer had experienced a similar fate on the bubble in a previous SHRB event in 2021, losing with A-Q to Justin Bonomo’s 10-4 suited, which was pushed from the button against the two short stacks in the blinds.

As four-handed play began, Jason Koon and Chidwick were virtually tied in chip counts, with Chidwick holding a slight advantage. Koon would ultimately be the first to exit. His final hand saw him raise from the cutoff with KSpade SuitKClub Suit, only to be outdrawn by Lichtenberger, who held JClub Suit10Spade Suit. The board favored Lichtenberger with a gutshot straight draw, and he eventually made a jack-high straight, resulting in Koon’s elimination in fourth place.

Koon’s career tournament earnings now exceed $51.4 million, ranking him fourth on the all-time poker money list. His efforts also earned him 180 POY points, placing him eighth on the POY leaderboard heading into the final quarter of the year.

Following Koon’s departure, Lichtenberger also thwarted Chidwick’s aspirations for his first SHRB title. In this pivotal hand, Lichtenberger raised from the button with QDiamond Suit8Club Suit, and Chidwick defended his big blind with QSpade Suit6Heart Suit. Both players achieved top pair on the QHeart Suit7Diamond Suit3Diamond Suit flop. After a pair of checks, Lichtenberger secured queens and eights when the 8Diamond Suit fell on the turn. Chidwick bet, Lichtenberger called, and the 5Spade Suit on the river prompted Chidwick to bet again. Lichtenberger moved all-in, and after careful consideration, Chidwick called off his stack with top pair. However, Lichtenberger showed him the bad news, and Chidwick had to settle for a third-place finish, earning $960,000.

Chidwick’s career earnings now surpass $54 million, ranking him third on the all-time earnings leaderboard. His performance in this event added 240 POY points to his total, placing him second in the standings with 8,259 points. He has won five titles this year, with 22 final-table finishes and nearly $8.1 million in POY earnings, solidifying his position as a prominent figure in the poker world.

It took less than 90 minutes to reduce the field from six players to two, setting the stage for an extended heads-up battle lasting over four hours, filled with significant swings in momentum. Lichtenberger initially held a considerable chip lead, but Isaac Haxton mounted a comeback, eventually establishing a lead of more than 5:1. However, Lichtenberger fought back, winning a substantial pot with pocket aces to regain the lead. Isaac Haxton quickly recovered, securing numerous small and medium pots to regain control.

With the pressure on, Lichtenberger made a heroic call for his tournament life with second pair on a perilous board. Isaac Haxton could only show an ace-high hand, resulting in a nearly even match once more.

The decisive hand of the heads-up battle occurred with blinds at 25,000-50,000 and a big blind ante of 50,000. Isaac Haxton raised to 175,000 on the button with ASpade Suit7Spade Suit from a stack of 2,840,000. Lichtenberger, starting the hand with 3,160,000, three-bet to 500,000 from the big blind, holding KDiamond SuitKClub Suit. Isaac Haxton called, and the flop revealed 3Spade Suit3Diamond Suit2Spade Suit. Lichtenberger’s 550,000 continuation bet was met with an all-in move from Haxton for 2,340,000. Lichtenberger quickly called with his overpair, setting up a high-stakes showdown for the majority of the chips in.

The Wynn Fall Classic is set to kick off in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 2, offering a plethora of poker tournaments that will keep enthusiasts busy throughout most of the month until the series concludes on October 29.

Among the highlights is the no-limit hold’em championship event, boasting a guaranteed prize pool of $1 million. Scheduled for October 19-23, it features three starting flights and requires a buy-in of $1,600. Players can secure their seats through a $300 satellite buy-in, with three 10-seat guaranteed qualifiers taking place on October 19 and 20.

Wynn Las Vegas will provide a wide array of poker options during the tournament series, including limit Omaha eight-or-better, pot-limit Omaha, H.O.R.S.E., dealer’s choice, and Big O, in addition to the popular no-limit hold’em. Another notable event on the roster is the $1 million guaranteed $1,600 mystery bounty event, commencing on October 12. This event follows a sought-after format on the circuit, where players receive random prize payouts for every opponent they eliminate. The tournament spans three starting flights, culminating on October 15.

For seniors looking to participate, there are two dedicated events on October 4 ($50,000 guaranteed) and October 16 ($100,000 guaranteed). In fact, every event listed in the schedule offers appealing guarantees, including the $1,100 buy-in kick-off event, which boasts a hefty $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Join us this October and immerse yourself in the thrilling poker action at one of the top casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.

You can see the Wynn Fall Classic full schedule of events below. For more information, visit the Wynn Poker homepage.

Justin Bonomo appeared to be on the verge of securing the championship title in the final $25,000 buy-in high roller event of the 2023 Poker Masters, but fate took a surprising turn. Despite eliminating every opponent on his path to the heads-up showdown, Bonomo’s commanding 4:1 chip lead dwindled in the blink of an eye.

Justin Bonomo, the world’s second-highest-earning tournament poker player with a career cash tally exceeding $64 million, showcased a remarkable hero call that swiftly altered the course of the game.

The pivotal hand unfolded with Daniel Rezaei limping on the button, holding J of Spades and 8 of Diamonds, while Bonomo, in the big blind, raised with Ace of Clubs and 8 of Clubs. Rezaei called, and the flop revealed 9 of Spades, 7 of Diamonds, and 4 of Spades. Bonomo initiated a continuation bet of 300,000 into a pot totaling 480,000, with Rezaei calling, relying on his gutshot straight draw and one overcard. The turn brought the 7 of Clubs, pairing the board, prompting Bonomo to check. Rezaei wagered 325,000 into the burgeoning pot of 1,405,000, which Bonomo called, leaving him with slightly over one million chips while the pot ballooned to 1,730,000. The final card, a 5 of Diamonds, completed the board, and Bonomo checked again. Seizing the moment, Rezaei went all-in with nearly 2.8 million in chips, and after careful consideration, Bonomo called, staking his tournament life on an ace-high hand.

This colossal double-up propelled Justin Bonomo back into the lead, and from there, he sealed the victory, earning $333,000. His career earnings now stand at an impressive $64,439,800, leaving him just $844,456 behind the all-time money leader, Bryn Kenney.

Bonomo’s victory also awarded him 200 PokerGO Tour points, making it his second final-table appearance in the series, following his third-place finish in event no. 6, which earned him $114,000 and 114 PGT points. With this tournament win, he now occupies the seventh spot in the race for the Poker Masters Purple Jacket.

The event attracted 37 participants, creating a substantial $925,000 prize pool distributed among the top six finishers. The second and final day commenced with Bonomo leading the pack and six players remaining, as Isaac Haxton had been eliminated on day one, bursting the bubble.

Bonomo initiated the first elimination when he pushed all-in with a full house of fives and eights. Chino Rheem, a three-time World Poker Tour champion, answered the call with an A-2, holding a full house of deuces and fives. With three fives, an eight, and a deuce on the board, Rheem secured sixth place and a $46,250 prize. This marked his fourth final-table appearance of the series, having previously claimed victory in event no. 4 for $218,400 and securing fourth place in event no. 6, followed by another sixth-place finish in event no. 8. Rheem’s cumulative earnings for the series now amount to $434,640, accompanied by 386 PGT points, propelling him to second place in the series-long points race, trailing only two-time winner Vladas Tamasauskas as they head into the festival’s final event.

Next to exit was Orpen Kisacikoglu, the champion of event no. 6. He faced a substantial loss in his stack when his pocket aces clashed with Daniel Rezaei’s A-Q. Rezaei committed the majority of his chips preflop and subsequently called off the rest after hitting a Broadway gutshot on the flop. The river delivered his straight, doubling him into the third chip position. Kisacikoglu, left with slightly over eight big blinds, eventually went all-in with K-J suited, only to find himself in a challenging situation against Bonomo’s pocket kings. This time, the pocket pair held up, sending Kisacikoglu home in fifth place, with winnings of $74,000. He currently occupies the 10th spot in the series standings.

The subsequent two eliminations resulted from unfortunate preflop confrontations. First, Andrew Lichtenberger, a bracelet winner, went all-in with pocket jacks, pitted against Bonomo’s pocket queens. Lichtenberger failed to find any assistance from the board, concluding in fourth place and earning $101,750. This increased his total tournament earnings to over $16 million, securing him the fourth-place position in the race for the Purple Jacket, following his victory in event no. 5.

The second preflop confrontation unfolded in a battle of the blinds, with Bonomo raising from the small blind, armed with pocket kings, and Stephen Chidwick three-betting from the big blind, holding pocket queens. Chidwick promptly called when Bonomo initiated a four-bet shove. The ten-high board favored the larger pair, leading to Chidwick’s elimination in third place, accompanied by $148,000 in winnings. This significant victory raised Chidwick’s career earnings to $52.6 million, securing him the third position on the all-time money list. This marked his 20th final-table appearance of the year, with five titles and over $6.6 million in POY earnings. The two-time POY now occupies the sixth place in this year’s standings.

The heads-up showdown commenced with a flurry of action, as previously discussed. Rezaei secured a double-up in the initial hand, with pocket sixes besting Bonomo’s pocket fours. He repeated the feat with pocket sevens against Bonomo’s A-2, solidifying his chip advantage. After Bonomo’s heroic call, he managed to regain the chip lead, setting the stage for an intense battle lasting approximately another half-hour.

In the final hand, Bonomo cautiously limped on the button with A of Clubs and Q of Spades. Rezaei, in the big blind, checked, holding Q of Diamonds and 2 of Clubs. The flop unveiled K of Diamonds, 3 of Diamonds, and 2 of Diamonds. Rezaei checked with his pair and flush draw, and Bonomo opted for a check as well. The turn card, an A of Hearts, swung the lead back in Bonomo’s favor. Rezaei checked, and Bonomo bet 200,000 into the 240,000-pot. Rezaei called, and the river revealed Q of Clubs, granting both players two pairs. Rezaei checked with his queens and deuces, while Justin Bonomo went all-in with aces and queens. Rezaei called, only to be confronted with the grim reality of the hand. As the runner-up, he earned $222,000, marking the third-largest recorded payout of his career.

Final table Results:

The stakes were raised at the 2023 Poker Masters high-stakes tournament festival. Following six initial tournaments with a $10,100 buy-in, event number seven saw the buy-in increase to $25,200. A total of 44 players entered the no-limit hold’em tournament, resulting in a prize pool of $1.1 million. After two days of intense tournament action, Nick Schulman emerged as the champion, securing the title along with the top prize of $374,000.

This marked Schulman’s second title of the year, adding to his impressive poker resume, which includes four World Series of Poker gold bracelets. He earned his most recent bracelet in the $1,500 seven-card stud event during the summer. At 39 years old, Schulman has accumulated lifetime tournament earnings of nearly $16.6 million, with his largest score coming from his victory in the 2005 World Poker Tour World Poker Finals at Foxwoods Resort Casino, where he earned $2.1 million.

Additionally, Schulman earned 224 PokerGO Tour points from his triumph, propelling him into sixth place in the race for the Poker Masters Purple Jacket.

This exciting event unfolded over two days at the PokerGO Studio within ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The second day began with six players remaining, with Ren Lin being the sole player eliminated after the money bubble burst late on day one, securing a $44,000 prize and 105 POY points for his 22nd final-table finish of the year. Lin’s accomplishments included two titles and total POY earnings of nearly $3.7 million, placing him fifth on the POY leaderboard.

Justin Saliba, a two-time bracelet winner, saw his run come to an end in sixth place when his pocket threes lost to Brian Rast’s A-10 in a race. Saliba walked away with $66,000 and 140 POY points, positioning him 13th in the POY standings.

Schulman continued his impressive performance by eliminating the next two opponents. First, his pocket nines triumphed over Victoria Livschitz’s A-4 suited, sending her home in fifth place with $88,000. Then, Schulman pushed with 9-8 suited from the small blind, facing off against two-time bracelet winner Chris Brewer’s A-Q. Brewer initially held the lead through the flop, but an eight on the turn swung the momentum in Schulman’s favor. With a blank on the river, Brewer officially finished in fourth place, taking home $121,000.

Andrew Lichtenberger marked his 36th birthday in an extravagant manner. The seasoned poker professional emerged as the victor from a field of 85 participants, clinching the championship title in event number 5 of the 2023 Poker Masters. This victory marked his 16th recorded live tournament win.

In the $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em event held at the PokerGO Studio within the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Andrew Lichtenberger secured the champion’s purse of $204,000. With this win, his total career tournament earnings soared to over $15.9 million, adding another impressive chapter to the World Series of Poker bracelet winner’s storied career.

Notably, this marked Lichtenberger’s fifth appearance at a final table in 2023, and it was his first championship title of the year. His outstanding performance earned him 1,122 Card Player Player of the Year points, propelling him into the ranks of the top 500 contenders in the 2023 POY race, sponsored by Global Poker.

Furthermore, Lichtenberger secured 204 PokerGO Tour points for his victory, making it his third cash of the Poker Masters series. He previously finished seventh in event number 3 and thirteenth in event number 4. With a total of 266 PGT points and earnings amounting to $265,700, he now occupies the third spot in the race for this year’s Poker Masters Purple Jacket, trailing behind only Vladas Tamasauskas (506 points) and Ren Lin (299 points).

This event awarded cash prizes to the top 13 finishers from its $850,000 prize pool. Only six contenders advanced to day 2, with two-time bracelet winner Daniel Lazrus leading the pack and Lichtenberger holding the fourth chip position at the start.

Koray Aldemir, the 2021 WSOP main event champion, was the first to exit in sixth place with $51,000 in winnings. His K-J hand couldn’t prevail in a preflop showdown against Daniel Lazrus’ 8-7 suited.

Brock Wilson achieved his third cash and second final-table appearance of the festival in this event, but his journey ended in fifth place. His A-7 suited was bested by the A-K of Lazrus and the pocket tens held by bracelet winner Brian Kim. Wilson took home $68,000.

Lichtenberger soon surged into the lead, winning a significant pot against Kim with the same top pair of tens but with a higher kicker. Kim then eliminated Niko Koop in fourth place ($85,000) by making eights full of kings on the river, triumphing over Koop’s kings and nines.

The next pivotal all-in confrontation witnessed Lichtenberger shoving from the small blind with pocket threes. Lazrus accepted the challenge and called all-in from the big blind with pocket sixes. Lichtenberger flopped a set and maintained his lead, ultimately ousting Lazrus in third place ($102,000).

The heads-up battle commenced with Andrew Lichtenberger holding 7,625,000 chips against Kim’s 3,000,000. It didn’t take long for all the chips to find their way to the center. In a few hands, Lichtenberger open-shoved from the button with AHeart Suit6Spade Suit, and Kim called with ASpade SuitQSpade Suit from the big blind. The board favored Lichtenberger, showing 7Spade Suit4Diamond Suit3Heart Suit6Diamond SuitADiamond Suit. With aces up, Lichtenberger secured both the pot and the title, while Kim earned $144,500 as the runner-up.

Here is a look at the payouts and rankings points awarded at the final table:

Darren Elias is a well-known champion, with an impressive record of four titles on the World Poker Tour, establishing himself as the greatest of all time in that arena. His latest triumph came on a Saturday, as the 36-year-old secured yet another victory, this time within the confines of the PokerGO studio at Aria.

In event number 2 of the Poker Masters, Elias outshone a field of 97 participants, claiming a substantial prize of $223,100 from the total purse of $970,000.

This marked his second PokerGO title of the year, following his victory in a $15,000 event at the U.S. Poker Open back in March. Hailing from New Jersey, Elias has now amassed a career tournament earnings total exceeding $12.8 million.

The competition rewarded its top 14 players with payouts, each taking home a minimum of $19,400. Notably, Chris Brewer was eliminated on the bubble on the first day, and the tournament continued until the final table of seven players was reached.

Among the prominent figures who cashed in the event were former Poker Masters champion Sam Soverel (13th place), as well as Ryan Riess (10th), Dan Shak (9th), Michael Rocco (8th), Alex Foxen (7th), and Erik Seidel (5th).

Lithuanian professional Vladas Tamasauskas secured the sixth position, marking his second consecutive final table appearance after winning event number 1. With these two finishes, he currently leads the overall series leaderboard.

Bin Weng, the current frontrunner for Card Player Player of the Year, achieved his second cash prize in two attempts, following his 16th-place finish in event number 1. This time, the Chinese pro claimed the third spot, earning $116,400 and adding 360 more POY points to his tally.

Weng is experiencing a breakout year on the tournament circuit, boasting two WPT titles, a WSOP Circuit ring, victory in The Return championship at Borgata, and a total earnings figure exceeding $5.1 million. With 9,198 points accumulated so far this season, he enjoys a comfortable lead of over 1,200 points ahead of his closest competitor, Jose ‘Nacho’ Barbero.

Former POY winner and two-time WSOP bracelet recipient Eric Baldwin secured the runner-up position, taking home $155,200. This achievement brings his career tournament earnings to $8.2 million.

The Poker Masters consists of a total of 10 events and runs until September 26, featuring buy-ins ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. The player with the best performance throughout the series will be awarded the prestigious Purple Jacket.

This high-stakes festival was inaugurated in 2017 and has seen past champions such as Steffen Sontheimer (2017), Ali Imsirovic (2018), Sam Soverel (2019), Michael Addamo (2021), and Sean Winter (2022).

Final Table Results

The 2023 World Poker Tour Liechtenstein CHF 1,100 buy-in main event at Grand Casino Liechtenstein shattered records with a total of 1,644 entries, establishing a new WPT Prime record for field size in a regular-season event. This impressive turnout translated into a prize pool exceeding $1.8 million in U.S. dollars. Following six starting flights and two full days of action featuring players from all flights, David Kozma from Hungary emerged as the champion, claiming the top prize of $300,541.

For Kozma, this victory marked a significant milestone as it was his largest live tournament win to date, nearly tripling his previous top payout of $105,000, which he earned as a runner-up in a $1,700 buy-in event at the 2022 Winter Poker Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa. After this remarkable win in the European principality nestled between Austria and Switzerland, Kozma’s total recorded tournament earnings now exceed $453,000.

In addition to the cash prize, Kozma’s first-place finish also granted him a $10,400 seat at the season-ending WPT World Championship held at Wynn Las Vegas.

Kozma’s victory earned him 1,080 Card Player Player of the Year points, propelling him into the top 500 in the 2023 POY race standings sponsored by Global Poker.

The final day of the tournament began with 11 players vying for the title, with Kozma leading the pack. He maintained his dominance as the field consolidated onto a single table. Kozma’s first elimination at the final table occurred when his KHeart SuitJSpade Suit flush triumphed over the KDiamond SuitJClub Suit, sending Alessandro Pichierri to a fourth-place finish with $107,296 in winnings.

Kozma continued his impressive run, dispatching Lukas Pazma in third place with his K-10 suited, forming tens and fours to overcome Pazma’s J-9 in a preflop showdown. Pazma walked away with $143,360.

The heads-up showdown featured Marc Sen holding 26,600,000 in chips, while Kozma had 22,900,000. The final two competitors engaged in a brief battle, spanning just 22 hands before a champion was crowned. Kozma surged ahead at the right moment, setting the stage for the final hand. Sen began by limping on the button with ADiamond Suit6Heart Suit, and Kozma checked his option with 6Club Suit5Heart Suit. The flop unveiled 8Spade Suit6Diamond Suit2Heart Suit, prompting Kozma to place a single big blind bet. Sen responded with a raise to three big blinds, which Kozma called. The turn revealed the 5Spade Suit, leading Kozma to wager another three big blinds. Sen then went all-in for 15 big blinds, and Kozma called, revealing his two pair. The 5Diamond Suit on the river secured Kozma’s victory with fives full of sixes, earning him the pot and the championship title.

As the runner-up, Sen, a resident of nearby Switzerland, received a consolation prize of $193,200.

Here is the final table Results:

The Culinary and Bartenders Unions‘ more than 53,000 Las Vegas hospitality workers will hold a vote that could pave the way for a strike.

The unions announced that a vote will happen on Sept. 26, in which union members will choose whether or not they will allow the unions’ negotiating committee to call for a strike. It is a vote to allow leaders to vote on a strike, not a vote to strike.

The vote comes as the unions and Las Vegas’ top three employers negotiate a new five-year contract:

1. MGM Resorts International
2. Caesars Entertainment Corporate
3. Wynn/Encore Resorts

Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge said in a statement that the unions are fighting for a contract that would protect overworked union members and that the unions and Vegas employers are still “so far apart” in their negotiations:

“As companies reduce labor, there are less workers who have even more responsibilities and are doing more work instead of spending quality time with their families, and that has to change.

Workers have built this industry and made it successful and that’s why we are demanding that workers share in that prosperity. It’s disappointing that we are still so far apart from the casinos after months of negotiations with the largest three gaming companies in Las Vegas.”

The vote comes five years after the Culinary Union won its negotiations after workers voted to allow the union to call for a strike

Las Vegas casino workers fighting for wage increase and workload reduction

The unions’ list of demands encompasses several key areas of working conditions and pay:

• The largest wage increase in the Culinary Union’s history
• Easing housekeeping quotas
• Moving to pre-pandemic daily room cleaning schedules
• More security personnel in hotels and casinos to protect workers
• Required training for any new technology introduced in the workplace
• Job protection related to pandemics and economic crises

Housekeepers in the union argue that the current housekeeping schedules are untenable for workers. Hotels switched to intermittent room cleaning during the pandemic and have not switched back to daily cleanings.

This means Las Vegas casino hospitality workers have bigger workloads because rooms are dirtier.

“Daily room cleaning is a safety and workload issue,” Culinary Union member Evangelina Alaniz said. “When it’s been three or four days since I’ve been assigned to clean a room, I’m never sure what I’m going to find behind that door.”

Strike vote comes a month after Caesars’ boss  said he didn’t expect “drama”

The news of a strike vote is somewhat of a surprise considering Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg said in the company’s second-quarter earnings call last month.

“As we speak, there is work being done in terms of a new contract… you’re talking about complex stuff that takes a little while,” he said in the Caesars earnings call. “But I’d expect that we’ll have new agreements by the fall. And I’m not expecting a whole lot of drama around.”

In the MGM Resorts International Q2 earnings call CEO Tom Hornbuckle expressed the same confidence.

“You all know the culinary and the company—all of Las Vegas companies are now out in negotiating process, which is going well,” Hornbuckle said in the MGM Resorts earnings call. “We have decades of history with them on doing this. This town hasn’t seen a strike since the ’80s.”

However, he said the main sticking point in a new contract might be pay. “I think the big thing that’s going to impact us is going to be ultimately wage,” he said.

Hornbuckle’s comment about wages may have been prophetic, as the unions are not happy with the negotiations and drama seems inevitable.

Though the outcome is unknown, the Culinary and Bartenders Unions have a track record of success. They negotiated union contracts with the formerly ununionized Venetian and Palazzo earlier this year and won negotiations with the Palms Casino Resort in May.

The World Poker Tour has unveiled an unprecedented guarantee of $40,000,000 for the upcoming WPT World Championship taking place at Wynn Las Vegas. Scheduled from December 12th to 21st, this $10,400 buy-in tournament will boast an extra starting flight compared to its 2022 debut, which attracted 2,960 entries.

“The WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas is poised to reach new heights and we wanted to match that expectation with a guarantee that no live poker tournament has ever seen before,” said WPT Chief Executive Officer Adam Pliska. “The journey to December begins now, and we plan on giving players another unforgettable experience at Wynn Las Vegas.”

Last year’s iteration of this tournament featured a $15 million guarantee, a figure nearly doubled thanks to the impressive turnout across three starting flights. Ultimately, the final prize pool reached a staggering $29,008,000, distributed among the top 371 finishers, with the eventual champion, Eliot Hudon, pocketing $4,136,000. The top six finishers all enjoyed seven-figure payouts.

Ryan Beauregard, the Executive Director of Poker Operations at Wynn Las Vegas, marveled at the overwhelming support and enthusiasm from the poker community, stating, “The incredible backing and enthusiasm we’ve witnessed from the poker community in just one year is unlike anything I’ve seen before. We eagerly anticipate the 2023 WPT World Championship and anticipate hosting yet another industry-leading event that offers an unparalleled player experience.”

This year’s edition will feature four starting flights as it strives to reach the largest guarantee in poker history. According to the structure sheet available on the WPT website, $9,800 from each buy-in will contribute to the prize pool, requiring a total of 4,082 entries to surpass the guarantee.

Check out a video from WPT about this massive event:

The WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas festival runs from Nov. 29-Dec.23 and features over 30 events. Other highlights include the $5 million guaranteed WPT Prime Championship $1,100 buy-in event (Dec. 7-12), the $250,000 guaranteed WPT Ladies World Championship (Dec. 6-8), and the $1 million Big One for One Drop (Dec. 18-20).

In 2019, Mark Barrientos swiftly crossed the finish line in a high-speed $250 buy-in event at the World Series of Poker Circuit, securing a substantial five-figure reward and clinching his inaugural WSOPC gold ring. Over four years after that triumph, Barrientos, hailing from Wichita, KS, made a triumphant return to the winner’s circle, outlasting a competitive field of 397 participants to seize victory in the 2023 WSOP Circuit Hard Rock Tulsa $1,700 no-limit hold’em main event.

Mark Barrientos walked away with the champion’s title, a second gold ring, and a cash prize of $126,900. This victory also propelled him to accumulate 600 Card Player Player of the Year points.

Reflecting on his success, Mark Barrientos shared with WSOP reporters, “The significance of the first ring was immense. I felt the need to prove myself as many individuals teased me due to it being a turbo tournament. This triumph feels even more satisfying, as I believe my performance throughout this event was more skillful.”

Remarkably, this marked Barrientos’ inaugural six-figure win, elevating his total earnings to $163,106, with a substantial portion of his winnings originating from the WSOP Circuit.

The prize pool for this tournament totaled $601,455 and was distributed among the top 60 participants. Noteworthy participants who made significant progress included bracelet holder Jordan Morgan (53rd), the 2017 victor of this event, Will Berry (39th), bracelet holder Bryan Campanello (15th), and Kasey Mills (12th), who secured fifth place in a previous WSOPC main event at the same venue earlier in the spring.

The final phase of the tournament commenced with only seven players remaining following Angela Jordison’s exit late on day 2, as her pocket fives succumbed to Barrientos’ ace-king in a preflop race.

Lionel Jiang started the last day in the lead and further bolstered his position by eliminating Mark Martin (7th – $18,065). James Stone then tallied two eliminations, ousting Tomas Teran (6th – $23,519) and Wayne Nicholsen (5th – $31,087), narrowing the field down to four contenders.

Subsequently, Stone found himself heading to the sidelines (4th – $41,707) after his pocket eights fell to Jiang’s pocket queens. Barrientos subsequently constructed a hand of aces up against Brent Gregory’s tens up. With all chips in play by the river, Gregory’s journey concluded in third place ($56,785).

Jiang commenced the heads-up showdown with the lead, yet Barrientos gradually surged ahead. As time progressed, Mark Barrientos managed to distance himself, ultimately sealing his triumph in the final hand. In this pivotal moment, Jiang pushed all-in from the button with 6♥ 2♥, and Barrientos made the call with K♦ 2♦. The board unfolded as K♣ J♠ 8♣ 3♥ J♦, solidifying Barrientos’ victory. Jiang earned $78,440 as the commendable runner-up.

WSOPC Tulsa Final Table Results